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DIRECTV NOW Review, Channels, and Cost

What is DIRECTV NOW?

DIRECTV NOW is a live TV streaming service from AT&T that offers most of the channel you would receive through a more traditional pay TV services. It’s essentially a way to watch live TV online without needing cable. I go over the features of the service in this post, but you can try the service out yourself through a 1-week free trial.

The service will allow customers to watch 2 streams simultaneously per subscription and is currently testing a cloud-based DVR. The DVR functionality is being tested by a selected group of DIRECTV Now Customers.

You will need some type of internet access once you drop your current pay-TV provider. Check out this article on home internet providers for more information. Let’s take a look at the channels available on this new streaming service.

DIRECTV NOW Channels

With DIRECTV NOW, you can stream the broadcast networks ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox in Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Jose.

Furthermore, DIRECTV NOW streams local broadcast affiliates in 100 mid and smaller markets. Where local channels aren’t available customers will be able to watch prime time shows the next day on-demand. Check the table in the section below to see which local broadcast affiliates are available in your city.

When it comes to channels like AMC, HGTV, and Discovery, DIRECTV NOW simulates traditional pay-TV services better than most solutions out there. They offer just about every channel you can find on cable. However, the channels are offered through three package ties.

DIRECTV NOW Packages and Prices

The table and information below provide an overview of DIRECTV NOWs packages and prices.

Gotta Have It

The “Gotta Have It” tier includes everything from the “Go Big” tier and costs $70 per month. It adds all the Stars and Encore channels along with Boomerang, Chiller, Cloo, El Rey, Univision Desportes and more.

Premium Channels

HBO, Starz, and Cinemax can be added to any tier for just $5 each. Showtime is now available for just $8 per month.

Regional Sports Networks

Direct TV does have the local market NBA, MLB, and NHL teams through various regional sports networks. DIRECTV Now presently carries the regional sports networks for NBC SportNet, Fox Sports, along with the MSG network. The availability is broken down by zip code. This PDF outlines what regional sports network and teams are available through DIRECTV NOW by zip code.

Local Channels Streaming on DIRECTV NOW

City

State

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

The CW

MyNetworkTV

Albuquerque

NM

ABC

NBC

Albany

NY

NBC

Anchorage

AK

FOX

Asheville

NC

ABC

Atlanta

GA

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

Austin

TX

ABC

FOX

Baltimore

MD

ABC

NBC

CBS

Bangor

ME

FOX

Bend

OR

FOX

Biloxi-Gulfport

MS

FOX

Birmingham

AL

ABC

Boston

MA

ABC

Fox

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Bozeman

MT

FOX

Brunswick

GA

ABC

Buffalo

NY

ABC

Butte

MT

FOX

Charlotte

NC

ABC

FOX

NBC

MyNetworkTV

Charleston-Huntington

WV

ABC

FOX

NBC

Chicago

IL

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Cincinnati

OH

ABC

NBC

Cleveland

OH

ABC

FOX

NBC

Columbia

MO

FOX

Columbus

OH

ABC

FOX

Columbus

MS

FOX

Dallas

TX

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Dayton

OH

ABC

FOX

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Daytona Beach

FL

ABC

FOX

NBC

MyNetworkTV

Denver

CO

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

Detroit

MI

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

The CW

Durham

NC

ABC

El Centro

CA

FOX

Eugene

OR

FOX

Evansville

IN

FOX

Florence

SC

FOX

Fresno

CA

ABC

Ft. Lauderdale

FL

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

Ft. Pierce

FL

ABC

NBC

Ft. Myers-Naples

FL

ABC

NBC

Ft. Worth

TX

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Gainesville

FL

FOX

Grand Rapids

MI

ABC

FOX

Great Falls

MT

FOX

Greensboro

NC

ABC

FOX

Green Bay

WI

ABC

FOX

NBC

Greenville

SC

ABC

Hagerstown

MD

ABC

FOX

NBC

MyNetworkTV

Harrisburg

PA

FOX

Hartford

CT

FOX

NBC

Honolulu

HI

ABC

Houston

TX

ABC

FOX

MyNetworkTV

Indianapolis

IN

ABC

FOX

Jacksonville

FL

ABC

Jefferson City

MO

FOX

Joplin

MO

FOX

Juneau

AK

FOX

Kalamazoo

MI

ABC

FOX

Kansas City

MO

ABC

FOX

NBC

Lexington

KY

ABC

NBC

Knoxville

TN

FOX

CBS

Lafayette

LA

FOX

Lancaster

PA

FOX

Las Vegas

NV

ABC

Lima

OH

FOX

Little Rock

AR

ABC

Los Angeles

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Louisville

KY

ABC

FOX

Melbourne

FL

NBC

MyNetworkTV

Memphis

TN

FOX

Miami

FL

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

Milwaukee

WI

ABC

FOX

NBC

Minneapolis

MN

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Missoula

MT

FOX

Mobile

AL

ABC

Modesto

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

Myrtle Beach

SC

FOX

New Haven

CT

FOX

NBC

New York

NY

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

Newport News

VA

ABC

Norfolk

VA

ABC

Oakland

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

The CW

MyNetworkTV

Oklahoma City

OK

ABC

Orlando

FL

ABC

FOX

NBC

MyNetworkTV

Palm Springs

CA

FOX

Pensacola

FL

ABC

Philadelphia

PA

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

The CW

Phoenix

AZ

ABC

FOX

MyNetworkTV

Pine Bluff

AR

ABC

Pittsburg

KS

ABC

FOX

NBC

Portland

OR

ABC

NBC

Raleigh

NC

ABC

Roanoke

VA

ABC

Sacramento

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

Salem

NC

ABC

FOX

Salt Lake City

UT

FOX

NBC

San Antonio

TX

ABC

San Diego

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

San Francisco

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

The CW

MyNetworkTV

San Jose

CA

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

The CW

MyNetworkTV

San Luis Obispo

CA

FOX

Santa Barbara

CA

FOX

Santa Fe

NM

ABC

NBC

Schenectady

NY

NBC

Seattle

WA

ABC

FOX

NBC

Spartanburg

SC

ABC

Springfield

MO

FOX

St. Joseph

MO

FOX

St. Louis

MO

ABC

FOX

NBC

St. Paul

MN

ABC

FOX

NBC

CBS

MyNetworkTV

St. Petersburg

FL

ABC

FOX

CBS

Stockton

CA

ABC

NBC

Tacoma

WA

ABC

FOX

NBC

Tampa

FL

ABC

FOX

CBS

Troy

NY

NBC

Tulsa

OK

ABC

Fox

NBC

Tupelo

MS

FOX

Visalia

CA

ABC

Washington

D.C.

ABC

FOX

NBC

West Palm Beach

FL

ABC

NBC

MyNetworkTV

Winston

NC

ABC

FOX

Yuma

AZ

FOX

DIRECTV NOW and AT&T Data Usage

As a benefit to AT&T data plan customers, DIRECTV NOW will not count against their data usage. This practice is referred to as “zero rating” and allows AT&T to provide preferential treatment to their service leaving internet service providers that don’t own TV networks at a competitive disadvantage. But I digress.

Free HBO for AT&T Mobile Customers

AT&T Unlimited Plus customers can enjoy free HBO with their wireless plan. According to an AT&T press release, starting Friday, September 15th, 2017 AT&T, Unlimited Choice customers will enjoy the same benefit. AT&T Mobile customers can watch HBO through the DIRECTV NOW and HBO GO apps.

Furthermore, AT&T mobile customers get a $25 monthly bill credit that can be used towards a DIRECTV NOW subscription. This means AT&T mobile customers can get the DIRECTV NOW live a little package with Free HBO for only $10 a month. I know that seems too good to be true, but it is.

With the new iPhone being released it may make sense to switch your wireless service to AT&T and get HBO and DIRECTV NOW for $10 per month. Check out AT&T Wireless offers.

You can sign up for a free trial and take advantage of those deals on their website.

DIRECTV NOW TV Everywhere Apps

Not only can you watch these channels through the DirecTV Now app, but you can watch the following channels on their own TV Anywhere App. Be aware that viewing through these apps will count against AT&T Wireless Data.

ABC

AMC

BBC America

BET

Bravo Now

BTN2GO (Big Ten Network)

CMT

CNBC

Comedy Central

CSN BayArea

CSN California

CSN Chicago

CSN Mid-Atlantic

CSN New England

Disney

Disney Jr.

Disney XD

E! Now

ESPN (WatchESPN)

FOX Now

FOX Sports Go

Freeform

FX Now

HBO GO (Requires subscription to HBO)

IFC

LOGO

MAX GO (Requires subscription to Cinemax)

MSNBC Now

MTV

NatGeo

NBC

NBC Golf

NBC Sports

NBC Universo Now

Nick

Nick Jr.

Oxygen Now

Paramount Network

Sprout Now

SundanceTV (Web only)

Syfy Now

Telemundo Now

TV Land

USA NOW

VH1

WEtv

DIRECTV NOW Review Rating

Due to the channel availability of local markets, combined with the quality of service, I rate DIRECT TV Now 5 stars out of 5.

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I'm Dennis Restauro. After working 20 years in IT, I've noticed the tech community to be a bit insular. I started Grounded Reason to change that. Here, we share information on how technology can save us money and change everyone's life for the better.

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